23rd - 25th August 2015

Tuesday, 25th August: Dry early on, but with a gathering southerly wind and more rain in the forecast.....which duly arrived before noon -  but there were plenty of birds about again.

Selsey Bill (0730-1230hrs): Cloud, rain later, wind strong southerly 6-7. Some movement this morning, with 31 Balearic Shearwaters west, including two nice flocks at medium range and one closer flock about 400 metres out. Also  two Black Terns, four Arctic Skuas and some Common Terns on the move. (C&ME/OM/DF/JD/AH/GH et al). Full log below....
Balearic Shearwater - 31W (1 distant 0745, 7W 0835, 3W 0845, 2W 0858, 7W close 0905,  1W 0917, 2W 0920, 4W 1003, 3W 1007 and 1W 1150)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 12E, 79W
Teal - 5W
Common Scoter - 2W
Arctic Skua - 4W
Black Tern - 2W
Common Tern - 45W
Sandwich Tern - 11W
Kittiwake - 1E
Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Balearic Shearwaters past the Bill (AH)

Additional 1400-1730: (SH)
Balearic Shearwater - 2W both distant  (1 16.15, 1 16.20)
Gannet - 15E, 2W
Common Tern - 1E, 6W
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 15W
Great Skua - 1E
Wheatear - 1 ob

Ferry Pool: There were four Ruff, four Common Sandpipers and three Green Sandpipers this morning, plus three Shoveler, three Avocets and the usual Teal and Shelduck. (AH/DF)

At 13.00hrs there were 2 juv Ruff, 6 Common Sandpipers, 4 Green Sandpipers, 2 juv Dunlin (one large and long-billed, one small and short-billed!), 3 Avocets, 3 Shoveler, 20 Teal and on the fence in the far back left of the field were probably 5 Whinchats and 1 Wheatear (PH).

Ruff on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Wryneck was seen again this morning at the start of the beach, with a Whinchat nearby, and there were up to eight Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart, a Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Green Woodpeckers, a party of Long-tailed Tits and a few Whitethroats and Willow Warblers around the hide and adjacent hedges. 

In the harbour there were still a couple of Common Terns and Sandwich Terns, along with 20+ Turnstone, 30+ Ringed Plover, 20+ Grey Plover and 200+ Dunlin. (PH/AH/DIS/DM/A&YF)

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Green Woodpecker & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)

Below: ad Green Woodpecker, Spotted Flycatcher and Long-tailed Tit at Church Norton (DM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - There were a couple of Green Sandpipers and a Greenshank on the reserve, but most of the action was on the Stilt Pool. The water had half-flooded the islands and birds were hard to see in the vegetation, but there were still at least three Wood Sandpipers, four Ruff, four juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, two Green Sandpipers and up to a dozen Common Sandpipers present, along with a dozen Gadwall and 20+ Teal.

There were also at least 50 Yellow Wagtails coming and going from the cow-field opposite, and several hundred Sand Martins with a few Swallow and the odd House Martin feeding low over the water. (AH/TR)

Wood Sandpiper (above), Ruff, Yellow Wagtails & Sand Martins at Medmerry (AH)

Monday, 24th August: Cloudy but dry early on, very soon giving way to heavy rain, predicted to last much of the day. Cool for the time of year with a fresh-strong NE to NW wind.... and an outlook of more rain over the next few days.

Sure enough heavy thundery rain deluged the area through the morning, before receding gradually... this window of opportunity was good for those few birders that were out and also good in dropping waders from the sky, producing early afternoon counts of at least 10 Ruff and 14 Wood Sandpipers, plus a supporting cast of more usual stuff....but the rain was never far away!

Selsey Bill: (0730-0845) There were six Sandwich Terns and a Common Tern feeding offshore, a single Gannet went east, a Great Black-backed Gull and a Cormorant took it in turns to sit on the triangle, and two Turnstones went west - and that was it! (AH)

(1700-1800) (SH)

Gannet - 22E, 4W

Common Scoter - 1W

Turnstone - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 10W

Common Tern - 9W, 10os

House Martin - 4p 

Swallow - 2p

Ferry Pool: The two Ruff didn't appear to be present in the dire conditions, but there were two Avocets, two Black-tailed Godwits, ten young Shelducks and 20+ Teal, along with a flighty flock of c70 Lapwings. (AH) Update 1230hrs... following the morning's deluge, a check of the pool revealed no less than 10 Ruff, 4 Green Sandpipers, 12 Common Sandpipers and 5 Whinchat (IL/AH).

Ruff (above), Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper & Lapwings on/over the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton:  There was a Pied Flycatcher and four Spotted Flycatchers behind the hide and another six of the latter in the churchyard. A Wheatear was on the concrete, and there were plenty of Whitethroats in the hedges. (BI)

This evening there were still five Spotted Flycatchers behind the hide and a flock of six Whimbrel flew noisily through the harbour. (AH/RHa)

Pied Flycatcher (above) & Spotted Flycatchers at Church Norton (BI)

North Wall: Unfortunately the heavy rain meant that there were no muddy edges on Breech Pool and thus no waders, the only birds present being an assortment of the commoner ducks including a dozen Teal and a Wigeon, plus 3-4 Whinchat in the fields behind the pool. Out on the mudflats three Yellow-legged Gulls were loafing with three Lesser Black-backs, and a couple of Yellow Wagtails flew over.
Along White's Creek my first returning Pintail was noted, then five Greenshank and about a dozen Grey Plover, before the rain stopped play again and I beat a hasty retreat (OM).

Ominously dark! View looking south along White's Creek from the sluice. My window of opportunity was short-lived and it wasn't too long before these heavy clouds emptied their load on me (OM).

Medmerry: Eastons Lane to Stilt Pools: Not entirely sure how many Wood Sandpipers but a minimum 7 on the pools, plus we  saw another 7 flying over which wheeled around a few times before heading east-ish, so 14 in total. Also present several Green and Common Sandpipers, 2 Ruff, 2 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 or 5 Little Ringed Plovers. Feeding over the pools were 200 or more Swallows, with the odd Sand Martin and House Martin, and there were 10-15 Yellow Wagtails present, flying through or feeding around the pool edges. (PH/IL/TG-P)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake - A Black Tern sat at the very back of the lake was the only tern present, and there were only 30-40 Swallows feeding over the water. There were also a group of eight Pochards with a few Tufted Ducks. (AH)

Very distant (!) Black Tern on Ivy Lake (AH)

Sunday, 23rd August: Changeable; a bright and breezy start to the morning with a fresh W/SW wind, followed by cloud and a band of heavy rain moving through. Conditions should improve by the afternoon however, with the potential for a few brighter spells.....

Selsey Bill (0630-0925hrs): There was a steady stream of Gannets moving east, with a few west, and the odd Sandwich Tern and Fulmar offshore, too. There were quite a few Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows mostly moving east, with a dozen or more Yellow Wagtails going east, too. Full log below.... (Obs: SH/AH/C&ME/SR)

Gannet - 177E, 16W
Fulmar - 4W
Teal - 1W
duck sp - 4W
Sandwich Tern - 8E, 9W
Kittiwake - 1E, 3W
Mediterranean Gull - 1os
Meadow Pipit - 1N
Yellow Wagtail - 15E
Swallow - 75E, 48W
House Martin - 13 p
Sand Martin - 4E, 3W
Nearby, 2 Swifts over Selsey (SH)

Gannet past the Bill (AH)

North Wall/Pagham Spit: A Common Sandpiper was in White's Creek with a few Redshank whilst on the Breech Pool there were 40 Black-tailed Godwits and six Spotted Redshanks; the water is still quite high here. On the fence at the back were four Whinchats and there were a few Reed Warblers round about. 

Four Spoonbills flew around the harbour for ten minutes or so before landing in the middle channel out of view. One of the birds was sporting an orange ring. Later they could be viewed from the hide on Pagham Spit but the spit itself was quiet. At least a dozen Grey Plover were around the harbour, along with a similar number of Yellow-legged Gulls and six Wigeon. (BI) 

Spoonbills (above), Spotted Redshank, Common Sandpiper & Grey Plover from North Wall (BI)

Ferry Pool: More or less the same as yesterday - two Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Teal and a handful of young Shelduck. The only different bird was a juvenile Grey Wagtail. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Grey Wagtail on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Wryneck was showing well again this afternoon around the edge of the horse field. (S&SaH)
Not much around in the dismal weather early on  - migrant highlights were a Spotted Flycatcher, a Garden Warbler and a few Whitethroats and Willow Warblers in the bushes and three Wheatears on the concrete slabs and adjacent spit. There was a solitary Sandwich Tern feeding offshore and a couple of Common Terns in the harbour, whilst on the mud there were a couple of hundred Dunlin and a few Grey Plover. (AH)

The usual walk to Norton (from east Selsey) by S&SaH/IP produced the following...
Swallow - 20+
Sand Martin - 20
House Martin - 2
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Whitethroat - 4
Willow Warbler - 1

Wryneck at Church Norton (SH)

Wheatear (above), Whitethroat & a view of the impending weather across the horse field at Church Norton (AH)

Sidlesham: The last of our Swallows have finally fledged - though they look some way off being ready to begin migration. (AH)

Swallows in Sidlesham (AH)

19th - 22nd August 2015

Saturday, 22nd August: A fine bright day, with a still start before a brisk easterly breeze picked up....

Ferry Pool: The two Ruff were still present, close to the road with c60 Black-tailed Godwits mid-morning. Also a Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper were present, along with 22 Teal and nine young Shelducks, whilst a Yellow Wagtail went over early on and a Reed Warbler was in the roadside reeds. There were two Brown Hares chasing each other about in the field behind the Environment Agency yard. (AH/AB/PB)

Ruff (above) & Reed Warbler on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Two Swifts were over the car-park mid-morning with a mixed flock of Sand Martins and Swallows, a Spotted Flycatcher and a couple of Green Woodpeckers were around the churchyard and hide area, but generally it was quiet. There were still five Wheatears around the concrete blocks, three Wigeon were flying around the harbour, and plenty of Whitethroats along the Severals, but the Wryneck had not appeared by mid-morning. (AB/PB/C&ME/BI/AH et al)

Spotted Flycatcher at Church Norton (AH)

In addition to the above, there were six Yellow Wagtails east along the beach, two Sparrowhawks over the Severals, two Common Terns offshore, and around 100 Sand Martins, 50 Swallows and a couple of House Martins feeding overhead from the beach. (S&SaH)

Selsey: A Swift went over our garden on the northern end of the town at 2pm (SH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A group of five Ravens flew in from the east and dropped into the cattle fields for about forty-five minutes before setting off west again, and there were at least 30 Yellow Wagtails among the cattle. Migrants were scarce with just a single Wheatear and a few Whitethroats and Willow Warblers seen, though there was a steady stream of Swallows and Sand Martins overhead.

Around the Stilt Pool there were still two Ruff, a Green Sandpiper (with another near Marsh Barn), a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, two Common Sandpipers (with another by the poplars) and four juvenile Avocets, whilst two Greenshank were flying about over the reserve. 

In the same area there was still a family of Tufted Ducks, plus a group of a dozen or more independent  juveniles, half a dozen Gadwall, a Shoveler, a couple of juvenile Shelducks and 20+ Teal, and between the pools and the reserve combined there were around 350 Canada Geese, along with a Barnacle-type hybrid and two Greylag Geese.

The regular birds were thin on the ground, though, with just a couple of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Yellowhammers about, although there were up to ten Stock Doves and several flocks of Linnets on show. (AH)

Ravens (above), Yellow Wagtail, Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper and juvenile Avocet, Stock Doves & Swallow at Medmerry (AH)

Golf Links Lane to Ham Viewpoint - Very quiet this morning, though the Little Owl showed well at Northcommon Farm, and there were 50+ Swallow and House Martins overhead, but just one Whitethroat. There were four Avocets in the small tidal pool west of the viewpoint, and four Gannets could be seen off breach. (SH)

Selsey Bill: Took a walk around the Bill this morning but very was little happening - totals being 4 Willow Warblers, 8 Swallows, c50 House Martins, 1 Sparrowhawk, and 29 Turnstones. (SR)

Northcommon Farm, Selsey: Very quiet; the Little Owl showed well, also 50+ Swallows and House Martin and just a single Whitethroat (SH).

Friday, 21st August: A warm, muggy start, though quite sunny with a light southerly breeze...

Selsey Bill (0830-1030hrs): Cloud/sun, quite warm, wind S1-2.  (Obs: OM) There were 30+ Common Terns and 12 Sandwich Terns gathered offshore as the tide revealed the shingle bar, plus a handful of Gannets and 60+ Sand Martins went over east. Log below...
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 15E
Turnstone - 30 ob
Common Tern - 30 os
Sandwich Tern - 12 os
Sand Martin - 60E
Willow Warbler - 3 gardens

A somewhat hazy view of the new 'Mile Basket' as it is today.....I think it will take some while to get used to it! (OM).

Northcommon Farm (Selsey): Very little in the bushes, though there was a nice male Redstart in the horse paddocks and c.100 Sand Martins overhead (OM).

Ferry Pool: The two Ruff were still present, along with a Common Sandpiper and two Green Sandpipers plus the regular couple of Avocets, half dozen Shelduck, 20 or so Teal and 70 Black-tailed Godwits.

It was quiet in the adjacent bushes, bar a few Blackcaps and a Whitethroat. (AH/OM/A&YF)

Ruff (above), Green Sandpiper & Blackcap around the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Wryneck put in an appearance by the bench at the start of the beach, but then disappeared again, and the male Redstart was equally elusive, showing briefly behind the hide and in the churchyard. There were plenty of Whitethroats along the Severals, and both Reed and Sedge Warblers popped up in the hedge where the Wryneck was seen, whilst a Wheatear was on the concrete slabs, and twenty or more Sand Martins went over.

There were a couple of Sandwich Terns and three or four Common Terns among the gulls offshore, and in the harbour there were a couple of Whimbrel and 30+ Grey Plovers.  Also there were two Clouded Yellows on the beach and three or four Holly Blues around the hide.(AH/BI/PM et al)

Whitethroat (above) & Holly Blue at Church Norton (AH)

This evening along the Severals area and Park Farm there were 300+ Sand Martins, a Whinchat. five Wheatears on the concrete slabs, a Common Tern, a Sparrowhawk and three Kestrels over. (S&SaH)

     

Thursday, 20th August: A grey and gloomy start after a wet night, but brightening up slowly, with the breeze picking up, too....then drizzle and cloud by mid-afternoon.

Ferry Pool: There were two juvenile Ruff at the back this morning, along with two Green Sandpipers, two Avocets and 45 Black-tailed Godwits. There were also half a dozen young Shelduck and 22 Teal. (AH)

Ruff and Shelduck on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: The water level has risen again on the Breech Pool, meaning that there wasn't much else but 80 Black-tailed Godwits on there this morning. There was a single Spotted Redshank, two Greenshanks and two Common Sandpipers in White's Creek, plus two Knot amongst c.100 Dunlin and 4 Wigeon. A single adult Curlew Sandpiper appeared briefly (BFF}. A Wasp Spider on its web showed well along the creek.  Nearby the female Tufted Duck with her brood of four were on the rife near Owl Creek, and c. 25 Yellow-legged Gulls were on the saltmarsh, but otherwise there were not many passerines about apart from a few Sedge and Reed Warblers  (OM/BFF/DIS/DM et al). Later, a Little Stint showed along White's Creek/East side for about 10 minutes (JD}, whilst five Spotted Redshanks and 3 Whinchats were eventually recorded (per RBA).

North Wall area this morning: Common Sandpiper, Tufted Duck with brood of four and Wasp Spider (OM}

White's Creek/North Wall waders: (above) Greenshank, and (below) Whimbrel, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit and Curlew (DM)

Church Norton: No sign of the Wryneck early on, though there were a couple of Wheatears on the beach, a Spotted Flycatcher and a few Blackcaps and Willow Warblers were behind the hide and a Hobby flew over. There were still two Common Terns over Tern Island and three Sandwich Terns and similar of Whimbrel on the mud. The most unusual sight was of a juvenile Peregrine sitting on the beach between the Severals. I almost stumbled over it and watched it from not much more than a dozen yards for five minutes or more, until it finally roused itself and flew off high over Greenlease Farm. (AH)
Two Redstarts were seen from behind the hide/churchyard hedge (ARK).

Late morning the Wryneck showed very briefly before disappearing again, but then it eventually gave itself up, posing beautifully on a reed stem in a hedge close to the first Several... remaining on the same perch for well over a quarter of an hour. An adder was also present in the area and briefly showed well before quickly disappearing (BFF/DIS/DM/OM et al}.

Wryneck near the first Several, Church Norton beach (DM)

Close encounter with a young Peregrine (above), Wheatear, Whitethroat & Common Tern at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools (C&ME)
Birds seen today included - 

Ruff - 2 (adult and juvenile)

Little Ringed Plover - 2

Common Sandpiper - 4

Wheatear - 1

Whitethroat - 16

Willow Warbler - 6
Yellowhammer - 6 

Corn Bunting - 1
Reed Bunting - 2
Stock Dove - 17
Sparrowhawk - 2
Tufted Duck - 4 adults, 10 juveniles
Teal - 18 

Wednesday, 19th August: A pleasant and fairly calm start to the day with broken cloud, some sun and a gentle SW breeze; however rain and increasing winds are forecast for later this afternoon.....

Church Norton: A Wryneck was on the beach near the Severals this morning, and there were two male Redstarts behind the hide. (A&YF). It was also reported early afternoon, showing well, whilst two Short-eared Owls were present on Norton Spit. A Common Tern was over Tern Island, still defending youngsters, and bizarrely a Red-legged Partridge has also bred on the Spit and a female was seen with 10 very small chicks (TG-P)
This evening a very small and very recently-fledged Lesser Whitethroat was in the hedges near Park Farm, Selsey. (S&SaH)

Ferry Pool: Still very quiet - just two Common Sandpipers, two Avocets, a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, five young Shelduck and 20 Teal on the pool. Not much in the adjacent bushes either - just a few Blackcaps and a couple of Willow Warblers. (AH)

Common Sandpipers on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: No sign up to 10am of the Pectoral Sandpiper on the Breech Pool, though the juvenile Ruff, a juvenile Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper were present, plus 40 or so Black-tailed Godwits and a few Teal.

There were at least six Spotted Redshanks in White's Creek, along with three Greenshank - with another couple in the harbour - another Common Sandpiper, the lone Wigeon and a Kingfisher, briefly. Out in the harbour there were one or two Whimbrel, a couple of Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, plus 20 or more smart summer-plumaged Grey Plovers. Very few passerines were about, though three Yellow Wagtails went over, a few Whitethroats were along the bushes with the odd Sedge and Reed Warbler and two or three Reed Buntings, whilst there were a few Sand Martins among the Swallows. (AH/PC)

Ruff (above), Greenshank, & with Spotted Redshank, Little Ringed Plover, Grey Plovers, Whitethroat & Reed Bunting from the North Wall (AH)